"Ah, are you guardsman #27136 or, uhhh, Lexie Booker?" The scientist asked cautiously, Lexie and Melaine being a bit surprised to see the low-ranking scientist in the barracks of all places. "That's me." Lexie responded, after which the scientist grabbed a letter from their pocket. "I was told to bring this over to you." The scientist seemed a bit anxious to hand it over, Lexie and Melaine looking at the strange envelope with no name on it. In fact, the letter had no details whatsoever, appearing blank. "Uhhh, what is this about?" Lexie asked, before Melaine softly gasped. "Maybe it's permission to be reassigned?" The scientist would calmly respond: "I do not know and was not told anything. Apparently, it's a little secretive, so you may wanna open this somewhere private." The two looked at the letter, before the scientist would bid them farewell, leaving the two unable to ask further questions about who this letter came from.

Mel and Lexie looked at the envelope, before looking around to see if there was anyone nearby. "Maybe it's a prank from those two dicks who you beat at the shooting range?" Melaine suggested, Lexie letting out a loud scoff. "You think those two idiots are smart enough to know how to write a letter?" "Well, one way to figure out how. Open it!" Melaine responded, Lexie shrugging and deciding to open it. The two found a rather formal, simple and direct letter with a warning not to share the contents of the letter, Lexie not caring her friend was reading along. Though as they kept reading, Lexie and Melaine were left most intrigued and concerned, as it was a request for her to come to a specific office within the hour... Specifically, it was Andrei's office. "I thought you sent your request to Roraima? Not Andrei!" Melaine mumbled in bewilderment, Lexie shaking her head. "I didn't send them to Andrei! Why the hell does he want me to come to his office out of nowhere? This must be a mistake..."

Melaine shook her head and pointed to the text. "It says your name here, and looks pretty official." Lexie looked around again, before mumbling: "Okay, this has to be a prank. The 'secrecy', the fact it's from 'Andrei', the time given here. I bet it's just some kind of shitty ploy to put me in some sort of trap." Lexie clearly refused to believe that the letter was real, Melaine responding in a more calm tone. "I don't think it's a prank, Lex. It looks pretty real..." The two went quiet again, looking at the letter, before Melaine suggested: "Why... don't you just go downstairs? If it is fake, you can maybe share this with the staff and use it as proof of someone trying to pull malicious pranks. And if it is real... well, who knows what Andrei's plans may be?" Lexie hesitated, before sighing. "Alright, but if I haven't contacted you within the hour, then warn staff that I have gone missing. I'd rather not want to end up locked in Vinella's chamber or some crap like that."

Melaine nodded, after which Lexie begrudgingly left the barracks and started making her way downstairs. She really hoped this wasn't a prank. Though, whatever else she may have been called over for was just as disturbing. Andrei was a secretive, paranoid man with a lot of dark subjects under his belt. Mindless warriors, cruel judges and horrors who could break people's minds with great ease were all ordinary subjects in his depraved mind. Though, as she wandered the quiet and empty halls and took an elevator to the third floor, she'd soon bump into another guardsman. "Oh, hey." The guardsman cautiously responded. "Hey, you uhhh..." Lexie looked around and showed the envelope, the guardsman letting out a sigh of relieve. "Ah, that's reassuring. I was already a bit worried when I suddenly got this letter. Seeing someone else here is... well, it's a relieve." Lexie gave a quick nod, before the soldier said: "Oh, I'm Kobi Hartley. I, uhhhh, looked after Juno Haldane, 7-SM."Lexie nodded and responded: "Lexie Booker. I looked after Keiko Hatta, CC-11."

The two right away started chatting as they headed further downstairs, sharing more about their subjects and their suspicions as to why they were here. And, it wouldn't take long before the two of them would encounter two more guardsmen, the four of them quickly getting acquainted. "Cindy Lozano. I looked after Poppy Uragan, 33-AS." "I'm Dwain Barajas. Guardman for Edith Astor, PW-87." "So, what do you guys know about this job?" Lexie asked, after which Dwain casually responded: "Not a clue. Knowing Andrei, it'll either end up with us dead or making tons of cash to keep our mouths shut." After which Kobi worriedly said: "I didn't really sign up to take that risk, not gonna lie. I mean, yeah, I did hope to get reassigned, but that was mainly because I got somewhat tired of Juno's creepiness for a good while now. I don't wanna end up looking after a psychotic Andrei subject now." This got Cindy talking again, doing so in surprise.

"Huh, I also asked to be reassigned elsewhere. Poppy is not nice at all and I got tired of her aggression towards me after dealing with it for over a year.” It quickly became clear to them that they all were guardsmen who wanted to be reassigned, which made them even more worried as this could only mean one thing: They were going to be needed for a new subject. As they discussed this further, they’d soon reach Andrei’s office, opening the sliding doors and walking down the long and foreboding hallway. As they walked down it, they heard a soft thud and noticed a rabbit subject sitting in a small chamber, giving an eerie smile as she watched them. “A-Anyone who knows who that subject is?” Cindy asked in an unnerved tone, the other guardsmen shaking their head. Lexie tried to head for the door, knocking rapidly and quickly getting a response. “Give me a few minutes!” Out of curiosity, Lexie decided to put her ear against the door, trying to hear what was being said.

“Lexie, are you sure it’s a good idea to spy on Andrei of all folk?” Dwain asked cautiously, Lexie shushing them. “Yes, yes, I will ensure she socializes well... No, no other scientist is involved this time... You have my word, sir.” Though as Lexie listened to the door, she started hearing a loud metallic creaking noise, after which Kobi pulled Lexie away. “Uhh, Lexie...” And for a good reason too, as Lexie finally took notice of the rabbit subject. The rabbit still remained in her chamber, but she was smiling at Lexie whilst bending a substantial dumbbell with both hands. Lexie quickly took the hint and said: “Sorry, I-I just...” The rabbit remained quiet, pausing with bending the dumbbell and dropping it to the floor, leaving the guardsmen quiet in fear. Fortunately, they’d soon hear the door being unlocked, before being met with the slightly pale, black-haired scientist they had heard of but rarely ever saw.

“Kobi Hartley, Dwain Barajas, Cindy Lozano, Lexie Booker.” Andrei said in an almost demanding tone, the four guardsmen nodding. “The letters you received?” Andrei asked again, the guardsmen showing the letters. “Hm, okay. Come in, quick. Disable all your electronics as well.” Andrei insisted, the guardsmen following him. Though, Lexie would quickly get her communication device and message Melaine that she was fine and was about to meet with Andrei. “Hurry, Lexie.” Kobi insisted, her quickly finishing her message before coming inside as well. They found themselves in a rather large and well-organized office. There were numerous cupboards, all of them with locks and simple security measures. There was Andrei’s desk, which had tons of neatly piled-up paperwork on it and a dozen or so computer screens. Andrei would stand in front of his desk, analysing the four guardsmen inquisitively as they stood in front of him. “Okay, did you guys turn off all your electronics?” Andrei questioned right away, the guardsmen all nodding.

“Very well then. Just want to make sure everything is secure.” Andrei mumbled, after which Lexie cautiously asked: “So, why did you ask us to come here at this time of the day and in such a... suspicious way?” After which Cindy added: “We suspect it’s cuz you need some guardsmen for a new subject, hm?” Andrei nodded calmly, before putting his hands together. “Indeed, though it is not just an ordinary subject. It's perhaps... my greatest creation." Andrei sounded rather prideful and confident, the four guardsmen appearing concerned as to what sort of qualifiers would make him call this subject his greatest. "Why the four of us though? Why not some people who guarded your other subjects?" Dwain calmly asked, making Andrei sit on the edge of his desk, before grabbing some nearby documents. "33-AS, PW-87, 7-SM, CC-11. Your ability to work with these subjects highlights your abilities as guardsmen and make you promising candidates for assisting me in this project."

Afterwards, Andrei put the papers down and more bemusedly added: "I have also seen that the four of you were eager to be reassigned to a new subject." Hearing this made Lexie cross her arms and speak in a more annoyed tone. "Okay, I wanted to be reassigned to work with my friend. I didn't just wanna be randomly invited over to... god knows what the hell you've designed now." Despite Lexie's objections, Andrei remained confident. "Miss Booker, I suggest you wait until I finish this presentation of mine. This project is more important than having a nice partner on the job. This subject will change everything for the better." Lexie remained sceptical, whilst the other guardsmen were confused as to why Andrei kept trying to convince them of his subject's greatness. "Okay, what is this project that will change everything? Be straightforward, don't just give vague notions or talk to us about some sorta grandiose world saving subject." Cindy would say in a more assertive tone.

"Oh, and without the secrecy please. We want less vague promises and more details." Dwain added onto Cindy's remark, Andrei nodding. "Very well then... Throughout my career, I have worked on a variety of subjects. Some of which are meant to bring... order to the galaxy. Either by acting as a judge, jury and executioner, or as highly capable guards who follow every command perfectly. Now, this subject in question will be a nigh indestructible and capable of neutralizing any enemy force it faces... with the ultimate goal being to make her capable of converting enemy forces to the side she is fighting on without the use of violence. Issue is, she is still lacking in key abilities for the time being. And, I first want her to be capable of interacting with people, before she is given said abilities. Just so her people skills are up to the part. I have already had subjects ruined because they became incapable of empathy or even simply reading people, so I want these skills to be ingrained into her mind." Andrei still was a little vague, but it was at least clear to Lexie and the other guards that Andrei wanted the subject to understand people before it started 'converting' enemy forces to her side.

"Question, how dangerous is this subject?" Cindy asked, after which Kobi instantly added: "And why so much secrecy when this subject is going to do 'good things' for the universe like you said before?" Andrei let out a sigh. "She is not dangerous at all. She's relatively large and highly regenerative, but she is currently lacking somewhat in combat powers. In a way, she's a blank slate. As for the secrecy, I do not wish to have another subject ruined by the likes of Elbrus, Roraima or Jabal. Therefore, I do not want any information to come out about her." Whilst the guardsmen felt a whole lot less threatened by this mystery subject now, that didn't change the fact that Andrei's secrecy was still a bit of an issue, even with the reasons he gave for it.

"More importantly, I do not want Tengri to know about this. The incompetent nonce would probably tell me to get more people involved, further ruining the project and leaving her braindead, horny or... serving 'ceremonial' purposes." Andrei added in a more vehement tone, speaking from clear experience here. To this, Kobi had a more important question, softly responding: "So Tengri doesn't know about this? Despite the fact that he's head of staff? Don't you think this will cause trouble with the government?" This made Andrei scoff and take a more mocking tone. "The government are the main forces funding this project. And they are willing to pay a lot to anyone involved and... willing to keep this a secret." Andrei glanced at some of his paperwork, before putting his hands together and stretching his body a bit. "And given that... Elbrus and Roraima have survived far worse things because of the government supporting their work, I highly doubt Tengri will be able to do much in stopping my project. That's why the government has funded me. Because they do not want Tengri to get involved."

The guardsmen were shocked, as this essentially showed that Tengri had no control over this project. "Either way, you now know pretty much everything I can tell you without getting in trouble with the government. You guys can now... leave and leak the news, resulting in this subject changing direction entirely into something insipid and pointless or being handed over to some other scientists who will destroy her... Or, you can join me now, keep quiet about this and meet the subject and help her become the greatest subject to have ever existed. Nay, the greatest invention to have ever been created." The guardsmen looked at each other, not seeming too sure what to think or what to agree on. Though after a bit of hesitation, Kobi sighed and responded: "Alright, show her to me. I'm curious about what's going on now."

And after Kobi gave his okay, Dwain also nodded. "Sure, I'll take a gander at this and see if you're being serious or not." Lexie then sighed and said: "Alright, fine, I'll check this out. I won't leak anything, even if I end up not being interested, kay?" And finally, Cindy also accepted: "Okay, okay, I'll join as well." Andrei stood up and put his hands together. "Excellent. I assure you that you've made a wise decision here and that you'll be grateful for this job opportunity." Andrei would grab some of the documents on his desk and started filing them away, keeping only a few documents with him as he signalled the guards to follow. "I'll introduce you to her." He'd lock the various cabinets, before opening the door and signalling the guards to leave. Once they were all out, Andrei locked the door with multiple different locks, before again leading the way. As the guards followed, they'd try to stick together closely, keeping somewhat quiet for most of the walk over. That was until they approached an elevator and Andrei spoke up again.

"You know, one thing I hope with this new subject... is to revert some of the mistakes made by other scientists. If all goes well, she shall be able to help all subjects." Andrei's vague remarks made the guardsmen look at each other, the four of them entering the elevator and soon heading way further down than normal. Soon, they stepped out of the elevator, entering a massive yet dimly lit hallway. Looking around, the guardsmen found the hallway guarded with far more advanced sentries than the ones they were used to seeing around the facility. Worse, the guns were automatically aiming at Andrei and the guardsmen, which made the guards feel incredibly uneasy. Fortunately, Andrei would scan his card against a nearby scanner, at which point the sentries would be deactivated. "Alright, stay behind me. The sentries should remain deactivated for a while." Andrei softly commented, as he led the way down the hallway.

"Well, at least we won't need to worry about protecting this subject." Dwaine mumbled as they walked past the various turrets, after which Andrei spoke in an insistent tone. "Your guard duties are of course not the main reason you are down here. But, you will still need to ensure my subject does not try to escape. If she was compelled to escape, she could easily do such." Again, Andrei's remarks left the guardsmen unsure what to say. Though, Cindy did soon ask a question they had somehow refrained from asking before: "What is the name of this subject anyway? You keep referring to her as 'my subject' or 'my creation'. Sort of ironic to not even call her by her name, given that you want her to become more social and empathetic." In turn, Andrei paused and turned around: "Why should I give you her name when you haven't even fully been assigned to job at hand, hm?"

He then turned around again and mumbled: "Besides, she'll get to introduce herself to you soon enough." The guardsmen didn't have much of a retort, just accepting that they'd figure out who this subject was when they finally encountered her. Thankfuly, the wait would not take too long. As after passing numerous defences, they reached a set of massive metal doors. The doors had numerous cameras, alarms and other safety precautions. Yet, there were no staff at all, everything appearing automated. Andrei again got his staff card out, before saying: "Alright, get in line, all four of you. I wanna ensure as little of a negative first impression as possible so I want you all to remain genuine but to not react negatively to her appearance in any way." Hearing this, Lexie would respond: "You want us to be genuine, but to not show negative emotions?!" Clearly bewildered by Andrei's orders. And despite how silly his demand was, he still nodded and said: "Be courteous towards her. Know that, despite her purpose being a great one, she is still lacking in power and needs further modifications."

The four guardsmen looked at each other in confusion, before Kobi sighed and spoke up in a reluctant tone. "Alright, lets just get this over with." Dwaine took a more optimistic tone in turn. "How bad can it be? It can't be worse than whatever Elbrus or Roraima have cooked up..." The other guardsmen hesitantly nodded along, as Andrei fully scanned his card and entered a code of some kind, before the doors started to slowly open up. This revealed a massive room, easily being larger than the smaller office spaces dotted around the facility. The room was completely dark and extremely cold, a massive glass wall splitting the room. The guardsmen looked around to see who or what was waiting for them, yet could not see anything in the darkness. "Why is it so dark?" Cindy asked, before Kobi suggested: "Could you turn on some lights before we enter?"

Though, as Andrei nodded and got ready to turn on the lights, Lexie squinted her eyes as she saw mild movements within the darkness. She'd keep looking around at the ever shifting mass within the darkness. Until finally, from within the abyss ahead of her, two glowing purple eyes stared at her, not blinking at all...

...

...

...

...

"Attention all guardsmen. Morning shift starts within the hour." The familiar morning announcement repeated through the barracks, Melaine groaning as she slowly opened her eyes. She'd stretch her arms, before gasping. "Lexie, you back?" Melaine looked down from her bunkbed, finding Lexie indeed on the bed below hers. Though Lexie was still in a deep slumber, somehow getting through the announcement with relative ease. Melaine jumped out of bed, before gently shaking her friend. Lexie remained fast asleep, Melaine sighing and shaking her friend a little more forcefully. "Wakey, wakeyyyy!" Melaine loudly proclaimed, Lexie slowly opening her eyes and groaning. "What... what happened..." Lexie mumbled tiredly, Melaine scoffing. "I was about to ask you the exact same thing, sleepyhead."

Lexie groaned again, before slowly pushing herself up. "Ugghhh, so little sleep... too busy chatting with Andrei's girl..." Melaine rolled her eyes, looking around before deciding to just dress up. "How about a bit of coffee? Maybe that'll help you wake up so you can actually tell me what the hell happened yesterday and where you have been." Lexie nodded tiredly, before falling back onto her mattress. Melaine sighed and shook her head, before dressing up and heading out to get Lexie some coffee to help her wake up. And after bringing Lexie her cup of joe, the guardswoman slowly started to wake up and recount the previous night and who she had met.

"What do you mean you can't tell me?!" Melaine asked in bewilderment, a now awake Lexie sipping her coffee. "Like I said, it's a very secretive project. Andrei asked me to not share details too much." Lexie responded softly, Melaine looking perplexed. "Secretive my ass, tell me the details! What's her name, is she another being of pure horror?"

Lexie scoffed and shook her head. "Can't tell and no. She's actually rather sweet. A little scary-looking when I first saw her, but... she was pretty friendly and normal, all things considered." Mel scoffed and would grab a nearby pocket torch and shining it in Lexie's face. "Wha- can you not?" Lexie grumbled, Melaine teasingly responding: "Look, just making sure you don't have some subject mind virus or weird parasite in your eyes or anything this subject may have caused." Lexie soon grabbed the torch and yanked it away from her friend after a mild struggle. "Can't you tell me anything, Lexie? What's her main purpose? And why can't you share these details?" Lexie paused to think, before responding: "Andrei said it had to do with him not wanting other higher-ups to get involved with the project. So, he's making this something of a private venture..." Melaine didn't seem too impressed with this info, Lexie noticing and letting out a sigh.

"Okay Mel, if you promise not to share anything around, I'll... give you a few hints about this subject. Deal?" Lexie conceded, Melaine seeming pleasantly surprised. "Lexie, you got a deal. I promise I'll not spill a thing about this subject!" though after calmly promising to uphold her deal, Melaine took a more excited tone and inched closer to her friend. "Now, tell me more about her! What's her codename and name? What does she look like?" Lexie thought about what she could say, before deciding to share a bit about her initial thoughts on Andrei's newest subject.

"She's very pretty, can change shape quite a bit... though admittedly, when I first saw her, well... I thought she was a demon subject..."

...

...

...

--------------------------------------

This quest is mostly story focused, with no really deep mechanics aside from basic dice-rolling. The story is rather freeform in terms of what choices you can make and what direction you want to follow. What your goal is in this place and who you choose to trust is mostly up to you. Do you want to explore the place and figure out its mysteries? Or do you just want to shoot shit and cleanse this place of monster girls? No matter what you opt to do down here, I will always try to give options for what you can do. You can also always send in your own choices and suggestions on what to do. Either way, I hope to provide a fun and enjoyable experience for everyone. My writing ain't perfect, so I always do appreciate it when feedback is provided so I can improve further.

Shared docs:
You, your men and your allies:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_NoldE7zglICEuon-YZNhxjXcqvjszveOsz4u8jz-is/edit?usp=sharing

The monster girls sheets as provided by the government tablet (HAS SOME MINOR UPDATES):
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1sIrSAkYFN57njvPYKcWzpjnme2nMD6Bzgkl-j4wU3LE/edit?usp=sharing

Sheets of monster girls you've befriended:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CPSZp0MxftcNaUFSfBxzkRh7MfEiPnA7G6Wzfm9dkSQ/edit?usp=sharing

Sheets by based documentation anon (Rentry link for those who do not wanna use docs):
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PaR_fOFnzAJnY57V71OM-g9mbPhPtGNOeV2ZrI73T-8/edit?tab=t.0
https://rentry.co/i8bbb2h8

Also, a reminder that, if the site goes down again, that you can check the shared docs for updates from me still. I am also on the /qtg/ discord, where I am more than happy to chat with you guys.

Previous threads:
https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?searchall=Monster+Girl+Facility

Based artwork from anons:
https://catbox/. moe/c/1ajcpw

The text Annie does NOT want you to read!!!!!!!!
https://docs.google.com/document/d/192lqCy6s6Q6o4GU_GQDga6nf_spmoqccajlaUxFyOHk/edit?usp=sharing
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ymvqbg3otDTyb0pxPLNx7W5OHgPqYve6-CI5Bj-RIm4/edit?usp=sharing

Artist I commissioned for this thread's thumbnail: None, this one is artanon's.

>Recap from the previous thread.
After encountering some guardsmen in the medical bay, you'd explore the medbay and would encounter Sibilia and her caretaker Eric. Sibilia pretended to be a bit of a fool, her quickly dropping the act once she realised you weren't a threat. Sibilia and Eric thus joined your group, heading south into a low level threat containment area. You would end up activating an alarm, luring a group of highly aggressive and manipulative guardsmen your way. Even after Chrys valiantly spoke up about how you were not a threat, the guardsmen still wanted to abuse their position. Fortunately, these guardsmen were led by Adenni Alchemilla, a reasonable and far more trusting plant subject who helped defuse the situation. Adenni further informed you about the situation in the facility, as well as the leisure centre. She'd soon give you some directions, you heading down and getting a map from Annie which you could safely follow. However, once you reached the leisure centre, you found it far more treacherous and dangerous to pass through than was previously expected.

You and the girls did manage to sneak incredibly far through the leisure centre, avoiding encounters with dangerous Diamond Dogs, talking your way past Heathen soldiers and even letting the girls use their abilities to disable cameras and safely sneak past security forces. However, after entering a large swimming pool area, Oreas would get stung by Sesia, temporarily taking her out of the fight. Still, you soldiered on, soon reaching a checkpoint manned by fellow Lodgerites. And after a bit of a chat, you convinced them to head to the main base whilst you watched for the night, giving you an easy path to let the girls safely leave the leisure centre. And after a night's rest (And a side-story focused on Koharu and her 'sister' Haruna), the Lodgerites returned and you were able to head forward and reunite safely with your girls. On the way, you encountered a strange yet harmless trap, had the girls work together to clear the way, and ran into a group of guardsmen.

These guardsmen would thankfully quickly come to trust you, asking you for help in hunting down the blue dragon Ophidia. The battle was rather long, but your girls easily managed to pin her down and cause some severe damage. Reika, Morgan and Idalia did end up getting minor injuries, but Morgan eventually managed to pierce the dragon's heart. Wanting to capitalize on the kill, you sent your girls to join the guardsmen whilst you brought Ophidia's body back to base. Before you could do, so you did encounter Haje, Ophidia's sister. Fortunately, she was more reasonable than her younger sibling, at least understanding the reason you had for killing Ophidia. Out of respect for Haje, you gave Ophidia a simple funeral, before taking her body to the surface. After handing the body over to government staff, you met up with Moritz, discussing your supposed Reika kill and payment. Moritz did try and get some soldiers to join you to be taught your ways, but you thankfully convinced him against it.

Moritz thankfully let you go soon after, giving you a chance to spend some time and resources switching out weapons and equipment. You'd even get a rocket launcher for Vinisha, which you quickly brought back to the training sector where the girls were holed up. You'd also finally get to meet the subject who was staying with the guardsmen there, an angel/bird subject called Iliara, who was caring for Oreas and her envenomation. Afterwards, you had a well-deserved lunch with the girls, during which you taught Vinisha about her rocket launcher. You'd even head to a nearby shooting range to give her a taste of firing a missile, her seeming capable of wielding it with little issue. After this though, you'd help the guardsmen with fortifying their location, contacted your other men on their mission to find Jabal and Catherine, before getting into a mild discussion with Morgan about honour and guns, ending with you challenging her to a test of accuracy using firearms.

File: Thank you for the updated(...).png (34 KB, 957x701)

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During this challenge, Morgan finally came to her senses and apologised for her past transgressions, having apparently realised how rude she had been. To show her how much you cared for her, you decided to have a swordfight with her in front of your men, managing to land one hit on her much to the amusement of your men. After then thanking her for the battle, you handed the blade to Kenai, her being most accepting of trying the weapon out for herself. You then went back to helping the guardsmen, wanting to wait for Oreas to wake up from her slumber before finally heading deeper down into the facility...

And with that lengthy recap out of the way...

>Continuing from the previous thread...
Several hours had passed in the guardsmen camp, you spending your time helping out wherever possible. Some of the girls were still helping out by setting up defences, a few of your men also assisting by cleaning up the place and informing guardsmen of the various death squad threats as you had intended. Of course, some of your men and girls were also just taking things easy, Vinisha practicing her reloading with Antonin, Kenai and Morgan having some basic sword fighting training and Kaenum spending time with Haje and a few of the other guardsmen. Lars was even sharing some of his suggestions with the local chefs within the base, even considering the option of giving away a few teaspoons of his spice mixes to help make things more bearable for the guardsmen. All in all though, things seemed to be going pretty well for everyone, you and your men spending your time well. Though, as you were busy chatting with a few of your men about future threats to consider, Chrys would suddenly come rushing over. "Guys, Oreas woke up!" Chrys said excitedly, your men and the girls all quickly paying attention. "Oh shit, she is?" Mike asked, Chrys nodding and signalling you and the others to follow. "She's still a little confused, but she's able to talk normally at the very least."

Hearing this, you called out to the rest of your men, telling them to pause what they were doing so you could talk with Oreas and check up on her. Most of your men and the girls came along, only Ignacy and Anon staying back as they wanted to help out the guards a bit more. You rushed over to the makeshift medical bay, quickly reaching Sukirno and Iliara, the latter standing beside Oreas who seemed to lie happily in bed. Oreas would notice you and smiled calmly, before quietly saying: "Hey everyone." You and your men all moved around Oreas, Ili soon stepping in and saying: "Easy guys, easy. Give her some room to breathe. She woke up like 10 minutes ago." Your men quietly took some steps back, giving each other a bit more room as Oreas chuckled. "I appreciate your care, Iliara, but you don't need to worry too much. I'm doing a whole lot better now."

Despite Oreas' reassurance, Iliara would shake her head and speak sternly. "You said you were still light-headed and weak, right? Better to be safe than sorry." Iliara would then grab some small pills and water, before looking over at Chrys. "Did ya get those batteries I asked you for?" Chrys nodded, calmly handing some batteries over she must've grabbed whilst alerting you and your men. Iliara gave the batteries, water and pills to Oreas. "Here, carefully gulp these down and feed in whatever way you feed on electricity. Maybe be a bit careful, just in case that nanite virus reacts badly to the sudden electronic charge." Oreas nodded, taking her pills before holding the batters and taking a deep breath. "Thank you, Iliara. And thanks Chrys." Oreas mumbled, Chrys nodding. "No problem!" With Oreas having had her medication and some food, you carefully asked her how she was doing. "Well, I am indeed doing better. I do indeed feel a little light-headed and... my limbs feel a tiny bit numb. But, I'll be fine. I do hope this whole ordeal didn't scare you guys too much."

Your men all mumbled that it was fine, with Vinisha responding: "We're just glad you're okay now." After which Alan added: "We sadly didn't kick that wasp girls ass after she stung you. But next time we encounter her, we're going to completely curbstomp her for what she did to you." Reika even added: "Yeah, we're going to crush that stupid wasp for you, Oreas! That wasp will regret ever hurting you!" Oreas giggled softly, before you also reassured her it wasn't her fault she got jumped so suddenly by Sesia. Oreas nodded, after which she asked: "So, uhhh, what happened exactly after I got stung. Sukirno and Iliara here told me you guys helped out a ton here, but I wanted to hear what happened from you guys." You quickly went over your travels through the leisure centre, the training sector and your battle with Ophidia. You mentioned how you met Haje, the golden dragon giving a small wave. "Umm, hey, nice to meet you, Oreas." Haje even responded, Oreas smiling back and responding: "It's nice to meet you too, Haje."

Afterwards, you explained how you went back to the surface to gather some supplies, before stating how you had spent your time down here helping the guardsmen a bit more. "We decided to wait with going downstairs until you woke up. Both because you were under good care from Iliara here and because we wanted everyone to be ready and up to start heading downstairs." Anon explained, Oreas seeming rather thankful. "You guys are too kind, looking after me and wanting me to recover before travelling ahead. You really didn't have to wait for me to recover." In turn, Morgan answered: "It would have been a major risk to take you along whilst unconscious. Besides, we spent our time down here most wisely, helping the guardsmen and preparing for our upcoming mission."

Hearing this, Oreas would stretch her limbs a bit before more confidently responding: "Well, in that case, I don't wanna keep you guys waiting any longer. I'm ready to get going!" Oreas would carefully get out of bed, still stumbling a little bit but thankfully remaining on her two feet. "One step at a time, Oreas. Don't push yourself too much." Iliara mumbled in turn, clearly wanting to make sure Oreas was fine. Chrys thankfully was there to help Oreas out, grabbing her hand and helping her walk a bit more easily. With Oreas back on her two feet, all eyes went to you before Derek asked: "So, Mik, what's the plan now? When and how are we gonna go downstairs?" Before you could share your thoughts, Sukirno would happily respond: "I'm happy to show you guys the way downstairs now. Hell, I'd even be happy to accompany you for a short while for further security, given all the help you guys provided us today." Your men were pleased to hear this, nodding along and seeming most accepting of Sukirno's offer to show you the way down.

>What do you do next?

>Share your plan on what you wanted to do next: Where you would be heading, who would be at the front of your group, who would accompany who, what you would be looking for, there were plenty of things to consider for your plan. (Write in what plan you share.)
>Tell your men to wrap up whatever activities they were doing right now before you would start heading to your next location. That way, Oreas could take a bit more time to get back on her feet, and you wouldn't leave tasks unfinished. (Write in whether you help out with some tasks or maybe just stay with Oreas.)
>Discuss with your men...
>Something else...

(Alright, I originally intended to get an update out on my birthday a week ago now... but alas, procrasination, university projects and other things kinda made me postpone it. But, it's out now, along with an intro story which, whilst it may not be too important to you just yet, will hopefully at least further your intrigue into the facility and what is truly going on down here.)

(Anyway, apologies for the delay and hope the update is enjoyable!)

>>6417700
>Tell your men to wrap up whatever activities they were doing right now before you would start heading to your next location. That way, Oreas could take a bit more time to get back on her feet, and you wouldn't leave tasks unfinished. (Write in whether you help out with some tasks or maybe just stay with Oreas.)
Hang with Oreas, ask if she remembers anything from her venom fever.

Didn't read the intro story yet so I could be FIRST VOTER.

>>6417700
Lexie? That's a name we haven't heard since her offhand mention in the third thread over two years ago. Funny that we'd get informed of a viable lead by some randos so long ago and they described Melanie too.
>Tell your men to wrap up whatever activities they were doing right now before you would start heading to your next location. That way, Oreas could take a bit more time to get back on her feet, and you wouldn't leave tasks unfinished.
I mean, obviously? Make sure the important objectives of the projects are met at least. I'd like to stay close to Oreas since the daughteru has just been through a shitty experience I feel partly responsible for.
>Share your plan on what you wanted to do next: Where you would be heading, who would be at the front of your group, who would accompany who, what you would be looking for, there were plenty of things to consider for your plan.
We'll be headed downstairs through the armoury areas and making our way through the lower levels to the combat sector. We will be searching areas as we go, but not too thoroughly and only for people since our main objective is still to get from A to B here.
Some questions for the group:
Do people want to have a further look around this sector? We know Belle and Koharu are in here, and they seem like nice girls. Is it worth the time to find them when we've already been held up a lot?
Haje needs to make a decision and make it now. Does she want to continue with us or stay here? If she stays here, does she want us to take her to the subject safehouse at a later date?
Is Iliara really sure? We've removed the main subject threat in this sector and made this place about as secure as it's going to get - no marauding death squad or rogue subject short of a top-tier threat should pose a serious threat to her friends now. If they're all cool with it we'd still really want her with us for the disaster that is the combat sector where a lot of staff and subjects alike could do with her help. If we still can't change her mind, we wish her good luck and we'll see her at Queenbase.

>>6417683
>As they walked down it, they heard a soft thud and noticed a rabbit subject sitting in a small chamber, giving an eerie smile as she watched them
Good old Caera.

>>6417684
>“Okay, did you guys turn off all your electronics?” Andrei questioned right away, the guardsmen all nodding.
Surprised he relied on the honor system here, or that he let them bring electronics in at all rather than leaving them outside.

>>6417688
>That's why the government has funded me. Because they do not want Tengri to get involved."
I wonder why GalGov kept Tengri as head of staff if they felt this way about him.

>>6417692
>"She's very pretty, can change shape quite a bit... though admittedly, when I first saw her, well... I thought she was a demon subject..."
Oh shit I thought it was Feng.

>>6417700
> Tell your men to wrap up whatever activities they were doing right now before you would start heading to your next location. That way, Oreas could take a bit more time to get back on her feet, and you wouldn't leave tasks unfinished. (Write in whether you help out with some tasks or maybe just stay with Oreas.)

"Slow is smooth and smooth is fast", afterall. Ask our group (and Sukirno) on the progress of the tasks and help out on the ones that are either lagging behind or could use more hands.

> Share your plan on what you wanted to do next: Where you would be heading, who would be at the front of your group, who would accompany who, what you would be looking for, there were plenty of things to consider for your plan. (Write in what plan you share.)

Do ask our group whether we want to search for Belle / Koharu or head down immediately. Also ask Haje whethe she wants to stay here, go with us, or go to the safehouse, etc.
(Or basically supporting >>6417762, not sure about asking Iliara though given she probably considers Sukirno's group to be her responsibility not unlike Adenni and her group.)

> Something else...

Maybe ask where Iliara where those batteries came from - let's just hope those aren't the last working batteries Sukirno's group have for their radios.
... and something tells me Oreas isn't recharging anyone's electronics anytime soon.

>>6417818
> I wonder why GalGov kept Tengri as head of staff if they felt this way about him.

Pretty sure Tengri's job as the head of staff is a literal rubber stamp who greenlights without question whatever the GalGov (plus Roraima and Elbrus) wants to do... and the scapegoat when the VRC goes inevitably tits-up. This is also probably why he's such a wimp - he's here to take the fall for the "important" guys and I doubt anyone with more backbone would agree to be in his position to begin with.

>>6417690
> She'd keep looking around at the ever shifting mass within the darkness. Until finally, from within the abyss ahead of her, two glowing purple eyes stared at her, not blinking at all...
> "She's very pretty, can change shape quite a bit... though admittedly, when I first saw her, well... I thought she was a demon subject..."

Why does that sounds like Oneira? Purpose and personality also checks out.
Also, does that mean Lexie is...

>>6417997
But she is all the carrot cake he needs

>>6417943
>Pretty sure Tengri's job as the head of staff is a literal rubber stamp who greenlights without question whatever the GalGov (plus Roraima and Elbrus) wants to do
If so, why would him knowing about the subject be a problem? If GalGov wants Andrei producing the demon subject solo, why not just tell Tengri to do his job and greenlight it without question?

>>6418064
Probably because Andrei didn't want Tengri to ask questions or offer "assistance" to his design? Apparently the top three people on his shitlist are Roraima (for turning Grise rabid), Elbrus (for making Nicola into a rapist), and Tengri (for making Olorea more sociable and less of a killing machine, and for making Feng saner and less of a terror weapon). Andrei knows how to make socially well-adjusted subjects (Alexandra, pre-rabid Grise, and even arguably Vinisha) but his "black project" designs (Olorea, Oana, Feng, Caera) all seem to be designed with minimal peer interaction in mind.

Bonus point for I'm not even sure whether his new subject is the Kaboom Demon or Oneira, or if those are the same subject in the first place - especially because Oneira was marked as a Tengri subject.

>>6418064
My guess is that Tengri would spread the word even if he pinky promises not to. And Elbrus + Roraima have enough sway to do what they want once they are made aware. Imagine trying to ask Elbrus nicely to pretty please dont fuck my subject (he now wants to more).
People give Andrei shit for being paranoid but based on who he deala with I get it

>>6417925
If we still can't convince her to come then we still can't convince her but after all the effort we put in to make this place safer for her lot and how it relates to her concerns, I'd like to give it one more go to convince her. It's up to her at the end of the day.

>>6418098
>Probably because Andrei didn't want Tengri to ask questions
Despite him only being chief of staff for his ability to greenlight without questions? Hmmm.

>Tengri (for making Olorea more sociable and less of a killing machine, and for making Feng saner and less of a terror weapon). Andrei knows how to make socially well-adjusted subjects (Alexandra, pre-rabid Grise, and even arguably Vinisha) but his "black project" designs (Olorea, Oana, Feng, Caera) all seem to be designed with minimal peer interaction in mind.
If he was worried about socialization wouldn't he want Tengri on for this one? It's specifically why he's recruited the guardsmen, after all.

>>6418105
Maybe. I figured the most likely explanation would be GalGov actually wasn't backing him up here.

>>6418110
>GalGov actually wasn't backing him up here.
In vacuum they probably do but it seems Elbrus has more sway with them so he could overpower Andrei's decisions with that.

>>6418115
Yeah I could see that. Elbrus argues his way on board by saying he can improve the subject whatever the design goal is because he's just that good. Maybe he even is just that good, but his improvements inevitably come with lewdness attached.

>>6417692
>"She's very pretty, can change shape quite a bit... though admittedly, when I first saw her, well... I thought she was a demon subject..."
So she's a shapeshifter? Some sort of changeling subject? As far as I can recall, there was only one other time throughout the quest that a shapeshifting subject has come up, a prologue side story in a previous thread where a group of DDs are joking about Mona's death and it's revealed that one of them was a subject wearing the face of a recruit who had gotten separated from the others and was planning on killing them.

I don't think there's ever been a single other mention of a subject like that since, so Andrei's newest favorite must be on the loose and almost NO ONE knows she even exists.

>>6417700
>Share your plan on what you wanted to do next: Where you would be heading, who would be at the front of your group, who would accompany who, what you would be looking for, there were plenty of things to consider for your plan. (Write in what plan you share.)
I think our team should just rest, take a nap or something. It might be better to continue onwards late at night when other squads have set up camp.

>Tell your men to wrap up whatever activities they were doing right now before you would start heading to your next location. That way, Oreas could take a bit more time to get back on her feet, and you wouldn't leave tasks unfinished.
After Sukirno stated his willingness to help you and your men out, you told him that you weren't in a hurry. Not only did you still want to chat a bit with Oreas, him and your men, but you also wanted to make sure everything was going A-Okay for the guardsmen. "Well, we're mostly done setting up defences, I think. We're just looking at important choke points now and setting up some plans in case of a worst case scenario." Artyom mentioned, you telling him to get back to that task after you discussed the main plan you had. "I'll go back to sharing some recipes and a few small rations which can make their remaining food supplies a bit more satiable." Lars mumbled in turn, the rest of your men also mumbling about things they could do.

You asked Sukirno how progress was looking on the various tasks, with him adding: "Like, uhhhh, Artyom, I think, just said: it looks like most defences have been set up. We're still going over some of the material on how to deal with the various death squads, but we can do that without you guys having to stay back here." Obviously, it was still nice to be able to teach the guardsmen yourself, so you didn't mind having your men stay back a little longer to teach as many guardsmen as possible. "I've been working on some of the radio communication down here and have gotten in contact with Annie to help me out. I still got a few simple things I need to do for that, but it won't take too long I imagine. Just gotta ensure Annie can connect with a couple of key devices, maybe use cameras and look for some extra energy sources with her help." To this, Sukirno would speak in a more grateful tone. "You guys are really pulling out all the stops here. For real, thank you guys a ton."

>Share your plan on what you wanted to do next: Where you would be heading, who would be at the front of your group, who would accompany who, what you would be looking for, there were plenty of things to consider for your plan.
You reassured Sukirno you'd help him out, before telling your men to maybe help out Derek if things got a bit too complex for him, which Derek seemed to appreciate. But first, you wanted to go over the main plan, stating how you'd head downstairs through the armoury and weapon storage area, aiming to hit the combat sector. You didn't want to make too many stops, only looking around areas if there were people who could be made into allies. "Maybe we should ask Anon to make a list of allies we can encounter in the areas below us?" Antonin suggested, after which Vinisha suggested: "Or we can ask Annie for a list." Which also seemed to be a decent suggestion. Afterwards, your men looked at you, expecting you to say more. Though ironically, you didn't have any further details to your plan.

"Well, that seems simple enough then. Let's get to work, everyone!" Alan confidently commented, you telling him to wait as you did have a few important questions for the group. The first was that you maybe wanted to have people go explore the sector, since Belle could still be resting somewhere nearby. "Don't forget Bothri." Sukirno mumbled, after which Sigit responded: "I am a little hesitant to send people out to explore this sector. Not only is it massive, but I feel like splitting up before such a critical mission is pretty risky. Especially if other death squads start heading this way to try and find Haje or other dangerous subjects." The rest of your men couldn't really argue against Sigit's remarks, with a few of them also being ready to start heading downstairs to continue your main mission. "With the extra security measures we're setting up here, I'm sure Bothri and Belle might just come here on their own to stay safe." Mike suggested, which was a slight possibility.

Speaking of Haje, you turned to her and then asked her if she wanted to stay with your group, stay here or maybe be given directions to the safehouse. Haje was a bit unsure what to answer, stuttering: "I mean, I... don't know? I don't think I'd mind, but... I also wanna make sure you guys don't mind." To this, Lars scoffed and responded: "Look at the number of subjects by our side, and ask yourself if we mind having any subjects stick by our side." Which was the best way to shut down her concern. Still, you wanted her to make a decision quickly, telling her you wanted her to make the decision right now. Haje looked around, stuttering before nodding: "Okay, I-I'll stick with you guys." Which thankfully resolved that question at last, even if you could tell Haje was very unsure about this for some reason. Regardless, you'd tell your men that they could finally get to work finalizing everything around the base, to which they all quickly agreed.

"What will you be doing, Mik?" Mike also asked as everyone started heading off, you telling him and the others you'd stay with Oreas for a bit, chatting with her and helping her out. "I'll stay here with Oreas as well. I'll help her get back to walking on her own in no time!" Chrys then mumbled, clearly wanting to stick to the side of her best friend. The rest of your men and girls did leave to work around the base, leaving you with just Chrys, Iliara and Sukirno to help Oreas. You then asked Iliara where she got the batteries from, since electricity was a bit of a problem in this place. "The battery came from a pocket torch of mine. And as much as I like that torch, having a working torch is just... a tiny bit less important than helping someone recover from a fucking venomous sting." Iliara responded confidently, you thanking her for it, before looking to Oreas and deciding to ask her a bit about the experience of being envenomated and how the venom made her feel.

"I... am starting to remember a bit more from my time under the venom. I remember being stung by that horrid wasp girl, feeling weaker and weaker as I heard you and the others calling to me. Then... it felt like I was asleep, occasionally catching glimpses of the world around me. Though, it also felt... dreamy, like everything going on was part of a dream. I do also remember you guys walking me around the place and being carried... Though, I don't feel too bad now, so I think the effects weren't that serious." Ironically, the envenomation didn't sound too bad at all. It was unfortunate she didn't really remember much from what was going on at the time, but it seemed that was partially the purpose of the venom. Either way, you stated how relieved you were she was fine, and that you also felt partially responsible for what had happened. Admitting this did surprise Oreas as well as the others around you.

"Don't feel guilty about it, Mikhail! You nor anybody else could've known that Sesia would... suddenly appear and jump me. Heck, I already snuck past far greater threats in the leisure centre, so I can imagine you thinking I'd be safe on my own." Oreas responded in a more optimistic tone, after which Chrys responded: "I guess this is a learning moment for, uhhh, all of us. We gotta be a bit more careful when we send people out on their own!" Oreas nodded a little bit, whilst Iliara said: "And, another lesson is: always have a weapon for self-defence on you. Just in case you need to deal with one of Elbrus' sick fucks." Oreas scoffed, before mumbling: "I mean, I did practice with a pistol before..." After which Iliara eagerly remarked: "Excellent! Keep up training. Next time, when an Elbrus shows up, you can then deal with them without issue. My advice? Aim for the groin. 50% of the time, it takes them out in one shot!" To this, Sukirno let out a soft wheeze, Chrys and Oreas also understanding what Ili was talking about.

Afterwards though, you'd ask Ili if she would like to go out there and maybe take down some Elbrus subjects on her own. "Fuck yeah. I'd certainly love to see those shitheads get taken down. Maybe not... by shooting them myself. Y'know, Hippocratic oath and what not. But providing support to folk who could teach those sick fucks a lesson would certainly be fun..." Iliara wasn't stupid, her confident smirk turning a bit more insulted. "Oh wait a second, are you trying to convince me to join you guys again?!" You admitted that you would really enjoy it if she joined your group, further pointing out that you had helped clear away the most major threat this sector had had to face and that you and your men had also provided a ton of security. Most importantly, she'd make for an incredible asset in your mission to the combat sector, given the numerous threats you might face below. Iliara sighed and was clearly considering the offer.

"I mean, I would enjoy it... and it would also be beneficial given your mission of defeating Feng... but I also made a promise to stay here and help these folk out. I can't just abandon them now." Fortunately, just as it seemed that Iliara had made up her mind again, Sukirno would speak up reassuringly. "Ili, Mikhail and his men will go through hell and back to save more lives and find a way to take out Feng. Meanwhile, we're basically safe now, thanks to the help Mikhail and his men provided. They'll need you more than we need you down here right now." Ili seemed taken back by Sukirno's remarks. "But, I made a promise to you guys, didn't I? I don't wanna betray that promise and risk coming back here after a while and seeing you guys suffering from injuries... or worse.." Sukirno put his hand on Ili's shoulder. "We'll be fine, Ili. You've taught some of the guardsmen your techniques and Mikhail's men have installed excellent defensive systems. And, we now have plenty more supplies to survive a couple more days at the very least. Trust me, we will be safe. I promise."

Iliara paused and looked at Oreas and Chrys. She then looked back at the guardsmen in the distance. She'd look down for a moment, before giving a bittersweet smile to Sukirno and reaching out for a fist bump. "Tell everyone not to do stupid shit whilst I'm gone, alright? If anyone dares get injured whilst I'm away, I'll make sure to stick it to them so they'll never fuck up again." Sukirno reciprocated the fist-bump, nodding and saying: "I'll let them know not to mess things up. Oh, and you better listen well to Mikhail and his men. They know what they're doing, so give them the respect they deserve and look after them." Iliara nodded, before looking over at you. "So, when are we heading out? I'll go get some of my stuff before then."

>What do you do next?

>Wait for or help your men finish their tasks. Iliara would probably not take too much time gathering her supplies, so helping out wherever was necessary with defences and communications was probably the best thing you could do now to speed things up a bit. (Write in if you help your men out or if you just wait.)
>Chat with Sukirno, Iliara or Oreas a bit more. Maybe you could discuss self-protection with Oreas, or thank Sukirno for convincing Iliara to join your cause. (Write in who you chat with and about what.)
>Help Iliara gather her supplies. You could do it to just be nice, or you could use the opportunity to have a little one-on-one conversation with her. (Write in if you chat with her whilst helping her out.)
>Something else...

>>6418219
>>Help Iliara gather her supplies. You could do it to just be nice, or you could use the opportunity to have a little one-on-one conversation with her. (Write in if you chat with her whilst helping her out.)
We'll go as soon as everyone is ready in the meantime, offer to help her pack her stuff. otherwise let's help the others.

>Wait for or help your men finish their tasks. Iliara would probably not take too much time gathering her supplies, so helping out wherever was necessary with defences and communications was probably the best thing you could do now to speed things up a bit. (Write in if you help your men out or if you just wait.)
If she doesn't need our help or if we help her fast enough, go around and help our team get their stuff ready and let's hit the road.

>>6418219
>Wait for or help your men finish their tasks. Iliara would probably not take too much time gathering her supplies, so helping out wherever was necessary with defences and communications was probably the best thing you could do now to speed things up a bit. (Write in if you help your men out or if you just wait.)
Help out the squad, if Ili's gonna be rolling with us for a while she probably wants a bit of alone time to say goodbyes and stuff.

>>6418219
>Chat with Sukirno, Iliara or Oreas a bit more. Maybe you could discuss self-protection with Oreas, or thank Sukirno for convincing Iliara to join your cause.
Hug the blue daughter. Something like that will never happen to her again.
Reassure Haje that she won't have to fight. Help of any kind would be appreciated and the places ahead *are* going to be dangerous, but we'll keep her safe and out of combat if she'd prefer.
I'm sure we've got a spare battery we can give them to keep at least one working radio, if used sparingly - perhaps only switch it on at set intervals? If they're really desperate to charge things, the hospital on the upper level still has power if they can make it there.
>Wait for or help your men finish their tasks. Iliara would probably not take too much time gathering her supplies, so helping out wherever was necessary with defences and communications was probably the best thing you could do now to speed things up a bit.
Ili's been here for most of the last three very hectic and stressful weeks, it might be a bit of a moment for her to have herself. She needs anything, just say so.
Anyway, go help the task that'll take the longest I guess. Put some rubber to the road so we can get moving again.